87 Components of the FDES and the Basic Set of Environment Statistics 87 Topic 5.2.5: Toxic substance- and nuclear radiation-related diseases and conditions 3.252. This topic includes diseases and conditions associated with exposure to toxic sub stances, residuals and/or waste that result from localized emissions. Toxic substances include toxic pesticides (e.g., pesticides that have teratogenic, carcinogenic, tumorigenic and/or muta genic effects), and toxic industrial chemicals (e.g., lead, arsenic, mercury and nickel, among others). Toxic substance-related diseases and health problems include, but are not limited to, chronic illnesses of the respiratory system (such as pneumonia, upper and lower respiratory diseases, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases), cancer, infertility, and congeni tal anomalies or malformations. 3.253. Exposure to toxic substances is usually the result of poor environmental management in the chemical industry, energy production, mining, agriculture and waste management, and stakeholders’ lack of information. The resulting diseases and conditions included under this topic may be caused by exposure to the toxins through air, water, food, soil or a combination of these elements. In this respect, the resulting health problems in this topic cannot be categorized as primarily or solely attributable to a specific medium such as air or water. 3.254. This topic also includes diseases and conditions associated with exposure to nuclear radiation. The related diseases and health conditions may be acute or chronic. They include, but are not limited to, thermal burns from infrared heat radiation, beta and gamma burns from beta and gamma radiation, radiation sickness or “atomic disease”, leukaemia, lung cancer, thyroid cancer and cancer of other organs, sterility and congenital anomalies or malformations, prema ture aging, cataracts, and increased vulnerability to disease and emotional disorders. 3.255. Exposure to nuclear radiation could occur from a nuclear explosion or an accident involving a nuclear reactor. In such situations, radioactive material is emitted to surrounding air, water and soil of human settlements and ecosystems. The effects of exposure to humans can range from immediate and mechanical injuries to long-term and delayed effects on organs and tissues. Caution must be exercised in assessing the public heath burden due to exposure to radiation since some health problems, such as cancer, may also be caused by other factors. 3.256. This topic includes statistics about morbidity (incidence and prevalence) due to toxic substance-related or radiation-related diseases and conditions, as well as measurement of the associated impact on the labour force and on the economic costs. Where available, the attrib utable fraction and burden of diseases, premature deaths and DALYs associated with toxic substances and radiation is to be included in this topic. These statistics are also relevant in Topic 4.2.2: Impact of technological disasters. 3.257. The main provider of epidemiological data is usually a country’s sanitation or health authority. Other institutions may include nuclear regulatory agencies and environmental pro tection agencies. Table 3.5.2.5 Statistics and related information for Topic 5.2.5 Component 5: Human Settlements and Environmental Health Subcomponent 5.2: Environmental Health Topic 5.2.5: Toxic substance-and nuclear radiation-related diseases and conditions Statistics and related information Category of measurement Potential aggregations and scales Methodological guidance (Bold text—Core Set/Tier 1; regular text— Tier 2; italicized text—Tier 3) a. Toxic substance-and nuclear radiation- related diseases and conditions •• By category of toxic substance •• By disease or condition •• National •• Subnational •• Urban •• Rural •• By gender •• By age group WHO
- Incidence Number
- Prevalence Number
- Loss of work days Number
- Estimates of economic cost in monetary terms Currency
Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013) 88 3.6. Component 6: Environmental Protection, Management and Engagement 3.258. A country’s engagement in the protection and management of the environment and, therefore, the resources it dedicates to that task, is related to information, awareness and social demand. It is also related to the country’s ability to finance environmental protection activi ties and participate in international efforts directed at these activities. International steward ship, national political engagement, civil society participation, and effective policies and pro grammes have a role to play in mutually reinforcing each other. 3.259. This component organizes information on environmental protection and resource management expenditure to improve the environment and maintain ecosystem health. Sta tistics on environmental governance, institutional strength, enforcement of regulations and extreme event preparedness are also considered. This component also includes information on a wide variety of programmes and actions to increase awareness, including environmental information and education, as well as private and community activities aimed at diminishing environmental impacts and improving the quality of local environments. 3.260. Component 6 is organized into four subcomponents: i. Subcomponent 6.1: Environmental Protection and Resource Management Expenditure; ii. Subcomponent 6.2: Environmental Governance and Regulation; iii. Subcomponent 6.3: Extreme Event Preparedness and Disaster Management; and iv. Subcomponent 6.4: Environmental Information and Awareness. Subcomponent 6.1: Environmental Protection and Resource Management Expenditure 3.261. This subcomponent is closely related to the environmental activity accounts of the SEEA-CF and is based on the CEA.82 Expenditure on environmental protection and resource management may be used as one measure of public and private engagement in protecting, restoring and managing the environment towards more sustainable use. Monitoring and track ing the level of environmental protection and resource management expenditure is important for policymakers, analysts and civil society in order to determine the current and desired levels of engagement and commitment from both government and the private sector. 3.262. Environmental protection activities are those activities whose primary purpose is the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution and other forms of degradation of the environment. These activities include the protection of ambient air and climate, wastewater management, waste management, protection and remediation of soil, groundwater and surface water, noise and vibration abatement, protection of biodiversity and landscapes, protection against radiation, research and development for environmental protection and other environ mental protection activities. 3.263. Resource management activities are those activities whose primary purpose is preserv ing and maintaining the stock of natural resources and hence safeguarding against depletion. These activities include, but are not limited to, reducing the withdrawals of natural resources (including through the recovery, reuse, recycling and substitution of natural resources); restor ing natural resource stocks (increases or recharges of natural resource stocks); the general man agement of natural resources (including monitoring, control, surveillance and data collection); and the production of goods and services used to manage or conserve natural resources. They cover the management of mineral and energy resources; timber resources; aquatic resources; other biological resources; water resources; research and development activities for resource management; and other resource management activities. 82 United Nations, European Union, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the World Bank (2014). Classification of Environmental Activities, contained in the SEEA Central Framework. Available from http://unstats.un.org /unsd/envaccounting/seeaRev /SEEA_CF_Final_en.pdf (accessed 4 August 2017).
89
Components of the FDES and the Basic Set of Environment Statistics
89
3.264. The Classification of Environmental Protection Activities (CEPA) has been in place
since 2000, covering the classes of activities pertaining to environmental protection. Subse
quent work to develop an overarching CEA that incorporates the CEPA and an interim list
ing of resource management activities has been undertaken. The CEA classification has been
developed as part of the SEEA-CF (for further information see Annex D: Classifications and
environment statistics).
3.265. In addition to classifying environmental protection and resource management expen
ditures according to their purpose, an important distinction should be made between those
who bear the expenditures. They may be the general government, corporations, non-profit
institutions and households.
3.266. The economic statistics of the Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) 83 are
closely linked to the CEA. EGSS consists of a heterogeneous set of producers of technologies,
goods and services that (i) measure, control, restore, prevent, treat, minimize, research and sen
sitize environmental damages to air, water and soil as well as problems related to waste, noise,
biodiversity and landscapes. This includes “cleaner” technologies, goods and services that pre
vent or minimize pollution; and (ii) measure, control, restore, prevent, minimize, research and
sensitize resource depletion. This results mainly in resource-efficient technologies, goods and
services that minimize the use of natural resources.84
Topic 6.1.1:
Government environmental protection and resource management
expenditure
3.267. This topic includes government expenditure whose primary aim is to protect the envi
ronment and manage its resources. Government (local, regional and central) expenditures to
protect the environment are usually calculated by identifying and aggregating the expenditures
considered to be primarily for environmental protection and resource management purposes.
These expenditures may be found by examining official government finance statistics in gov
ernment budgets and/or administrative reports on actual government expenditure.
3.268. The main institutional partners are the official institutions in charge of reporting gov
ernment expenditure (e.g., internal revenue services) and the national and subnational level
institutions (e.g., municipalities). The resulting statistics will usually be at the national level and
can sometimes be disaggregated by functional governmental entities or level of government.
Within the NSO, national accounts and government finance statistics also contribute to the
development of government expenditure statistics. The statistics are expressed in monetary
units, typically with annual periodicity, depending on the availability of resources.
83 Eurostat (2009). “The
environmental goods and
services sector.” Eurostat
Methodologies and Working
Papers. Available from
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
/documents/3859598/5910217
/KS-RA-09-012-EN.PDF
/01d1733e-46b6-4da8-92e6
-766a65d7fd60?version=1.0
(accessed 4 August 2017).
84 Ibid.
Table 3.6.1.1
Statistics and related information for Topic 6.1.1
Component 6: Environmental Protection, Management and Engagement
Subcomponent 6.1: Environmental Protection and Resource Management Expenditure
Topic 6.1.1: Government environmental protection and resource management expenditure
Statistics and related information
Category of
measurement Potential aggregations and scales
Methodological guidance
(Bold text—Core Set/Tier 1; regular text—Tier 2;
italicized text—Tier 3)
a.
Government environmental protection and
resource management expenditure
•• By environmental activity
•• By type of expenditure: current, investment
•• By ministry
•• National
•• Subnational
•• By funding
•• Eurostat-SERIEE Environmental Protection
Expenditure Accounts Compilation Guide (2002)
•• Eurostat-Environmental Expenditure Statistics.
General Government and Specialised Producers
Data Collection Handbook (2007)
•• Classification of Environmental Activities (CEA)
SEEA Central Framework (2012) Annex 1
- Annual government environmental protection expenditure Currency
- Annual government resource management expenditure Currency
Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013) 90 Topic 6.1.2: Corporate, non-profit institution and household environmental protection and resource management expenditure 3.269. Supplementary to the previous topic, this one includes corporate, non-profit institution and household environmental expenditure whose primary aim is to protect the environment and manage its resources. Statistics on environmental protection and resource management expenditure for corporations, non-profit institutions and households usually require the use of specific surveys of establishments in different sectors and industries. Therefore, key factors that affect the quality of statistics produced through this type of source include the exist ence of updated and precise establishment registers, sampling procedures and the quality of questionnaires. The technical capacity of individual establishments to respond adequately to environmental protection and resource management questions is also an important factor. Table 3.6.1.2 Statistics and related information for Topic 6.1.2 Component 6: Environmental Protection, Management and Engagement Subcomponent 6.1: Environmental Protection and Resource Management Expenditure Topic 6.1.2: Corporate, non-profit institution and household expenditures on environmental protection and resource management expenditure Statistics and related information Category of measurement Potential aggregations and scales Methodological guidance (Bold text—Core Set/Tier 1; regular text—Tier 2; italicized text—Tier 3) a. Private sector environmental protection and resource management expenditure •• By environmental activity •• By type of expenditure: current, investment •• By ISIC economic activity •• National •• Subnational •• Eurostat-Environmental expendi ture statistics. Industry data collec tion handbook (2005) •• Eurostat-Environmental expendi ture Statistics. General Govern ment and Specialised Producers Data Collection Handbook (2007)
- Annual corporate environmental protection expenditure Currency
- Annual corporate resource management expenditure Currency
- Annual non-profit institution environmental protection expenditure Currency
- Annual non-profit institution resource management expenditure Currency
- Annual household environmental protection expenditure Currency
- Annual household resource management expenditure Currency Subcomponent 6.2: Environmental Governance and Regulation 3.270. To provide a holistic view of a country’s efforts towards sustaining and protecting the environment, policymakers, analysts and civil society require statistics on environmental gov ernance and regulation at the national level. The magnitude of these activities can inform about the extent of institutional development, availability of resources, and the existence and enforce ment of regulatory and market instruments whose primary purpose is to protect, regulate and manage the changing environment. 3.271. Successful national environmental governance requires institutional strength, as well as regulatory capabilities. Therefore, this subcomponent includes setting standards and norms, providing adequate resources and ensuring the ability to enforce those standards and norms. Additionally, a nation’s participation in MEAs and global environmental conventions are also included in this subcomponent to describe national participation in the global commitment to protect the environment. 3.272. Stakeholders need to be made aware of, and must sometimes also be given incentives to comply with, norms and standards. However, it is also critical that they be encouraged to accept changes in production and consumption behaviour voluntarily to protect the environ ment and use it sustainably. In this respect, information, education and perception elements are also included in this subcomponent. Sector or industry-based voluntary agreements are also included.